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Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of former New Hampshire State Representative Laura Pantelakos and her 44 years of service to the Granite State. Since first taking office in 1978, Laura has been a tireless advocate for change in the city of Portsmouth and across the State of New Hampshire. Her compassion and willingness to engage with her constituents earned her the support of Rockingham County in election after election, and her commitment to bipartisan solutions helped usher in several decades of prolonged economic success for the region.
During her time in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Laura witnessed tremendous change over the past four decades. In 2008, Laura was named Dean of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in recognition of her service as the longest-tenured member of that body; a distinction she proudly held until her retirement. Her tenacity and sharp legislative insight also saw her rise to the rank of Assistant Minority Leader, where she rallied her party to major legislative victories while always looking for opportunities to reach across the aisle. During her time in the House, Laura dedicated herself to leaving a positive imprint on our state, reforming our criminal justice system, and always looking out for children and families. Laura's penchant for helping others led her to dedicate her time to a number of causes outside of the State House, including her role as Chair of the Fire Commission for the City of Portsmouth and her involvement with the Seacoast African American Cultural Center. Laura was also a central figure in the Portsmouth City Delegation, now known as the Legislative Subcommittee, where her ten years of leadership saw major gains for the city.
Laura's leadership was always guided by her deep love for her children, grandchildren, and the constituents she proudly served for close to half of her life. As Laura begins a well-deserved retirement, I look forward to seeing what her next chapter has in store and know that she will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders to carry on her legacy of service over self. On behalf of the residents of New Hampshire's First Congressional District, I thank Laura for embodying New Hampshire's highest values and wish her all the best in the years to come.
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